Imam Ibn Ḥazm and the False Allegation of Jahmiyyah
Some individuals accuse Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm al-Andalusi رحمه الله of being a “strict Jahmi.” ʿAllāmah Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī also quoted in Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah a statement from Muḥammad bin ʿAbd al-Hādī al-Maqdisī (d. 744 AH) from Ṭabaqāt ʿUlamāʾ al-Ḥadīth in which this claim was mentioned. The reality is that this is a scholarly oversight which some Barelvi and Deobandi individuals exploit to support their false doctrines.
Imām Ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī referenced al-Milal wa al-Niḥal li Ibn Ḥazm, whereas this book is not authored by Ibn Ḥazm but by Imām al-Shahrastānī (d. 548 AH), written nearly a century after Ibn Ḥazm’s death. Ibn Ḥazm’s own work is titled الفصل في الملل والأهواء والنحل. In this book, he repeatedly refuted the beliefs of the Jahmiyyah, issued verdicts of disbelief against them, and elaborated in detail the creed of the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Ṣāliḥīn).
Objective of This Article
✔ To establish that the accusation of Jahmiyyah against Ibn Ḥazm is entirely false.
✔ To present proofs from his own books that he was among the sternest refuters of the Jahmiyyah.
✔ To clarify through his statements that he adhered to the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah, not that of Jahm bin Ṣafwān and his followers.
We shall see that Ibn Ḥazm affirmed:
① Allah’s rising over the Throne
② Allah’s Hands and Eyes
③ The rejection of ḥulūl and ittiḥād
④ That Allah’s Speech is uncreated
⑤ The falsehood of the belief that Allah is everywhere
⑥ The believers’ seeing Allah in the Hereafter
⑦ Allah’s descent
⑧ The eternity of Paradise and Hell
⑨ Verbal testimony as a condition of īmān
All of this will be proven from his own words and texts.
Statements of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm in Refutation of the Jahmiyyah
➊ Affirmation of Allah’s Rising Over the Throne
Imām Ibn Khuzaymah said:
فَنَحْنُ نُؤْمِنُ بِخَبَرِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَعَلَا أَنَّ خَالِقَنَا مُسْتَوٍ عَلَى عَرْشِهِ … كَمَا قَالَتِ الْمُعَطِّلَةُ الْجَهْمِيَّةُ: إِنَّهُ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى عَرْشِهِ، لَا اسْتَوَى …
(Kitāb al-Tawḥīd wa Ithbāt Ṣifāt al-Rabb ʿAzza wa Jall)
Translation:
“We believe in the report of Allah, the Most High, that our Creator rose over His Throne… contrary to what the negating Jahmiyyah say: that He conquered the Throne, not that He rose over it.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… وَالِاسْتِوَاء فِي اللُّغَةِ يَقَعُ عَلَى الِانْتِهَاءِ … وَهَذَا هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَبِهِ نَقُولُ لِصِحَّةِ الْبُرْهَانِ …
(al-Fiṣal fi al-Milal wa al-Ahwāʾ wa al-Niḥal)
Translation:
“In the language, istiwāʾ applies to intihāʾ (reaching the end/culmination). This is the truth, and we hold this view due to the correctness of the proof.”
◈ The Jahmiyyah distorted the verse of istiwāʾ by interpreting it as “istawlà (conquered),” whereas Ibn Ḥazm clearly affirmed that Allah truly rose over the Throne.
➋ Affirmation of Allah’s Hands and Eyes
Imām al-Tirmidhī said:
… فَتَأَوَّلَتِ الْجَهْمِيَّةُ هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ … وَقَالُوا: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَخْلُقْ آدَمَ بِيَدِهِ …
(Sunan al-Tirmidhī)
Translation:
“The Jahmiyyah interpreted these verses and said that Allah did not create Adam with His Hand; rather, ‘hand’ means power.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… وَنُقِرُّ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى كَمَا قَالَ: يَدًا وَيَدَيْنِ وَأَيْدِي … وَعَيْنًا وَأَعْيُنًا كَمَا قَالَ: {وَلِتُصْنَعَ عَلَى عَيْنِي} …
(al-Fiṣal)
Translation:
“We affirm that Allah has a Hand, two Hands, and Hands as He stated; and an Eye and Eyes as He stated: ‘That you may be brought up under My Eye,’ and ‘You are under Our Eyes.’”
◈ The Jahmiyyah denied these attributes through interpretation, while Ibn Ḥazm affirmed them as they are, following the methodology of the Salaf.
➌ Refutation of Ḥulūl (Indwelling)
Ibn Taymiyyah said:
وَجُمْهُورُ الْجَهْمِيَّةِ … إِنَّمَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِالْحُلُولِ …
(Darʾ Taʿāruḍ al-ʿAql wa al-Naql)
Translation:
“The majority of the Jahmiyyah speak of indwelling (ḥulūl), i.e. Allah descending into His creation.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْإِلَهَ اتَّحَدَ مَعَ الْإِنْسَانِ … وَكُلُّ هَذَا فِي غَايَةِ الْفَسَادِ …
(al-Fiṣal)
Translation:
“They say that the Deity united with man… and all of this is the utmost corruption and falsehood.”
◈ Ibn Ḥazm declared the doctrines of indwelling (ḥulūl) and union (ittiḥād) held by both the Christians and the Jahmiyyah to be false and corrupt, cutting them off at the root.
➍ Affirmation that Allah’s Speech is Uncreated
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī said:
… وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ …
(al-Ghunyah li Ṭālibī Ṭarīq al-Ḥaqq)
Translation:
“The Jahmiyyah held that Allah did not speak.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… أَجْمَعَ أَهْلُ الْإِسْلَامِ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى كَلَامًا … وَهُوَ غَيْرُ مَخْلُوقٍ …
(al-Fiṣal)
Translation:
“The people of Islam are unanimously agreed that Allah has Speech, and it is uncreated.”
◈ According to the Jahmiyyah, Allah’s Speech is created, but Ibn Ḥazm explicitly declared it uncreated and a real Divine Attribute.
➎ Refutation of the Belief that Allah is Everywhere
Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī said:
… الجَهْمِيَّةُ يَقُوْلُوْنَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ …
(Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ)
Translation:
“The Jahmiyyah say that Allah is in every place.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… فَقَوْلُهُمْ: فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ خَطَأٌ … يَلْزَمُ أَنْ يَمْلَأَ الْأَمَاكِنَ … وَهَذَا مُحَالٌ.
(al-Fiṣal)
Translation:
“Their statement that Allah is in every place is false, because it would necessitate that He fills all places, and this is impossible.”
◈ The belief of the Jahmiyyah was contrary to Allah’s transcendence. Ibn Ḥazm made clear that Allah is not everywhere; rather, His knowledge encompasses every place.
➏ The Qur’an is Uncreated; It is the True Speech of Allah
Imām Aḥmad said:
… وَمَنْ قَالَ: لَفْظِي بِالْقُرْآنِ مَخْلُوقٌ، فَهُوَ جَهْمِيٌّ.
(Masāʾil al-Imām Aḥmad, narration of Isḥāq bin Hāniʾ)
Translation:
“Whoever says, ‘My recitation of the Qur’an is created,’ then he is a Jahmi.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
[مَسْأَلَةٌ: الْقُرْآنُ كَلَامُ اللَّهِ غَيْرُ مَخْلُوقٍ] … فَمَنْ قَالَ إِنَّهُ مَخْلُوقٌ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ …
(al-Muḥallā bil-Āthār)
Translation:
“The Qur’an is the Speech of Allah, uncreated. Whoever says it is created is a disbeliever, because this goes against the consensus of the people of Islam.”
◈ The Jahmiyyah and the Muʿtazilah held the Qur’an to be created, but Ibn Ḥazm stated explicitly that the Qur’an is truly the Speech of Allah and that calling it created is disbelief. This is entirely contrary to the creed of the Jahmiyyah.
➐ Affirmation of Seeing Allah in the Hereafter
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī said:
… وَقَالُوا: لَا يَرَى أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ اللَّهَ فِيهَا.
(al-Ghunyah li Ṭālibī Ṭarīq al-Ḥaqq)
Translation:
“The Jahmiyyah said that the people of Paradise will not see Allah in the Hereafter.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… ذَهَبَتِ الْمُعْتَزِلَةُ وَجَهْمُ بْنُ صَفْوَانَ إِلَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُرَى فِي الْآخِرَةِ، وَذَهَبَ جُمْهُورُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ إِلَى أَنَّهُ يُرَى فِي الْآخِرَةِ …
(al-Fiṣal)
Translation:
“The Muʿtazilah and Jahm bin Ṣafwān held that Allah will not be seen in the Hereafter, while the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah hold that He will indeed be seen in the Hereafter.”
◈ This refutes the greatest denial of the Jahmiyyah. Ibn Ḥazm, standing with the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah, affirmed the seeing of Allah in the Hereafter.
➑ Affirmation of Allah’s Descent
Fuḍayl bin ʿIyāḍ said:
“إِذَا قَالَ لَكَ الْجَهْمِيُّ: أَنَا كَفَرْتُ بِرَبٍّ يَنْزِلُ … فَقُلْ: أَنَا أُومِنُ بِرَبٍّ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ.”
(Sharḥ Uṣūl Iʿtiqād Ahl al-Sunnah)
Translation:
“If a Jahmi says to you, ‘I disbelieve in a Lord who descends,’ then reply: ‘I believe in a Lord who does whatever He wills.’”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
[مَسْأَلَةٌ: اللَّهُ يَتَنَزَّلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا] … وَهُوَ فِعْلٌ يَفْعَلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَيْسَ حَرَكَةً وَلَا نَقْلَةً.
(al-Muḥallā)
Translation:
“Allah descends every night to the lowest heaven. It is an action He performs, not movement nor relocation.”
◈ The Jahmiyyah denied the descent; Ibn Ḥazm accepted the ḥadīth of descent and held it to be an attribute of action, which cuts the Jahmiyyah off at the root.
➒ Eternity of Paradise and Hell
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī said:
… وَادَّعَوْا أَنَّهُمَا إِذَا خُلِقَتَا تَفْنَيَانِ.
(al-Ghunyah li Ṭālibī Ṭarīq al-Ḥaqq)
Translation:
“The Jahmiyyah said that Paradise and Hell, after being created, will perish.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
… اتَّفَقَتْ فِرَقُ الْأُمَّةِ كُلُّهَا عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَا فَنَاءَ لِلْجَنَّةِ وَلَا لِنَعِيمِهَا وَلَا لِلنَّارِ وَلَا لِعَذَابِهَا، إِلَّا جَهْمٌ …
(al-Fiṣal)
Translation:
“All the sects of the Ummah have agreed that there is no annihilation for Paradise nor its bliss, nor for Hell nor its punishment; only Jahm and a few Rafidis denied this.”
◈ Here Ibn Ḥazm reported the consensus that Paradise and Hell are everlasting, and declared the Jahmiyyah outside this consensus.
➓ Verbal Testimony as a Condition of Īmān
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī said:
… وَقَالُوا: إِنَّ الْإِيمَانَ مَعْرِفَةُ الْقَلْبِ دُونَ إِقْرَارِ اللِّسَانِ.
(al-Ghunyah li Ṭālibī Ṭarīq al-Ḥaqq)
Translation:
“The Jahmiyyah said that īmān is merely the heart’s recognition, and verbal affirmation is not part of īmān.”
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm said:
Ibn Ḥazm refuted the Jahmiyyah’s claim that īmān is mere inner recognition and declared such a view disbelief.
(al-Durrah fīmā Yajibu Iʿtiqāduh)
◈ For the Jahmiyyah, īmān was mere recognition, but Ibn Ḥazm declared this false and stated that verbal affirmation is a condition of īmān.
✦ Summary
All of these texts clearly prove that Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥazm al-Andalusi رحمه الله was not a Jahmi. Rather, he was among the strongest critics and refuters of the Jahmiyyah.
✔ He affirmed the Divine Attributes.
✔ He declared disbelief upon Jahmi doctrines.
✔ He explicitly supported the foundational beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah.
